A Knitting Fool

I've been busy! Four summer birthdays (everyone in the whole fam damily but me!) and some fun internet searching for just the right something. Fortunately Jejune gave me a smashing idea for one of my giftees. Between that, ShanaLogic, and etsy shops, I am finding it very easy and a heck of a lot of fun this year. 8^)

And I am a knitting fool. Here are some of my UFOs (the new ones!). I started a scarf from some wool/silk I got from A Verb for Keeping Warm (up in Oakland). I love the color and am doing a stitch that I've not used before, usually seen on sock heels, Eye of Partridge. Why I always think, "Eye of Newt" when I think of the stitch, I do not know. [Insert snide comment here.] So far I am not f*ing up the pattern, which is "four" rows (though two are straight purling).
I started Blankie #2, on size 35s with these green/blue/gray tones. I also switched to seed stitch (three stitches on each side) instead of garter. Nicer. I've got a bit more done than this, but this gives a feeling for the softness, the invitingness, the warmth of this future gift throw.

And I finished booties I started at the end of June while in Seattle, from Knitpicks Swish. These are for my grand-nephew, Brian, who was born in January, so will need somewhat larger booties when it gets cool again and he's, oh, nine months old. Hope the little jingle bells don't drive his parents batty.
I'm also doing a mindless in the round beanie (brown and green) and still working on my Karen scarf, when I'm not plotting a new cast-on. I got Itty-Bitty Hats with my Borders discount coupon today and am already very interested in two of her patterns, not to mention her instructions for knitted stars, flowers, and others shapes. Susan Anderson must have the same embellishment gene as Cosymakes.

Off to bed. Tomorrow DH has his halfway CT scan to see how his chemo is eradicating the cancer cells that were previously large tumors. Though he is somewhat sobered by the drinking of barium (contrast dye), as he says he guesses he'll be doing this for the rest of his life, I am feeling very glad for the existence of barium smoothies, and am hoping that his new involvement with Team in Training (Leukemia and Lymphoma Society running clubs that raise money for research) will help provide him with the perspective of those who have gone ahead of him and are much further down the running/cancer path than he.

Happy knitting, all.